UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS

General Certificate of Education

Advanced Subsidiary Level and Advanced Level

* 1 9 1 8 9 8 9 7 3 9 *

9700/31

BIOLOGY
Advanced Practical Skills 1

May/June 2011
2 hours

Candidates answer on the Question Paper.

Additional Materials:

As listed in the Confidential Instructions.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black ink.
You may use a pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Do not use red ink, staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.
Answer all questions.
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.
At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

For Examiners Use

1
2
Total

This document consists of 11 printed pages and 1 blank page.

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You are reminded that you have only one hour for each question in the practical examination.
You should:

Read carefully through the whole of each question.

Plan your use of the time to make sure that you finish all the work that you would like to
do.

You will gain marks for recording your results according to the instructions.

Enzyme E catalyses the hydrolysis of starch to glucose.

The end-point of the reaction can be found by measuring the time taken for all the starch to
be hydrolysed.
You are required to investigate the effect of the independent variable, copper sulfate
concentration, on enzyme E.
You are provided with:
labelled

contents

hazard

concentration
/%

volume
/ cm3

amylase solution

irritant

10

starch solution

none

50

copper sulfate
solution

harmful
irritant

0.03

20

distilled water

none

100

iodine

iodine in potassium
iodide solution

irritant

50

Copper sulfate can inhibit enzyme E.

The extent of inhibition depends on the concentration of the copper sulfate solution. A student
investigated the inhibition of enzyme E at concentrations of copper sulfate solution greater
than 0.03% and found that the enzyme was completely inhibited.
The student suggested the hypothesis:
concentrations of copper sulfate solution below 0.03% will continue to inhibit the
enzyme.
You are required to investigate this hypothesis by carrying out a serial dilution of copper
sulfate solution which reduces the concentration by ten-fold between each successive
dilution.

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Fig. 1.1 shows how to make the first concentration of 0.003% copper sulfate solution.

For
Examiners
Use

9 cm3 of
distilled
water, W
1 cm3 of
copper sulfate
solution, C

10 cm3 of 0.03%
copper sulfate
solution, C

0.003%
copper sulfate
solution

...................

...................

Fig. 1.1
(a) (i)

Complete Fig. 1.1 to show how you will make two further concentrations of copper
sulfate solution.
[3]

Proceed as follows:
1.

Prepare the concentrations of copper sulfate solution as shown in Fig. 1.1 in the
containers provided. Use the syringe labelled For copper sulfate.

2.

Label test-tubes with the concentrations of copper sulfate solutions and label
another test-tube W.

3.

Wipe the tile clean with a damp paper towel and then dry the tile. Label the tile, as
shown in Fig. 1.2. The numbers indicate the sampling times in seconds.

drop of
iodine

15

30

45

60

75

90

105

120

135

150

165

180

Fig. 1.2
4.

Put one drop of iodine on the tile at each sampling time, as shown in Fig. 1.2.

5.

Put 1 cm3 of W into the labelled test-tube.

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6.

Put 3 cm3 of S into the same test-tube. Mix well.

7.

Put 0.5 cm3 of E into the same test-tube. Mix and start timing.

8.

Use a glass rod to stir the mixture.

9.

After 15 seconds use the glass rod to transfer a drop of the mixture to the iodine
drop, labelled 15, on the tile.

10. Immediately clean the glass rod with a paper towel.

11. Repeat steps 8 to 10 at 15 second intervals until the iodine drop does not change
colour. If the iodine drop changes colour at 180 seconds, record more than 180 as
your result (for step 12).
12. Record the time taken to reach the end-point.
13. Repeat steps 3 to 12 replacing the 1 cm3 of W with 1 cm3 of the lowest concentration
of copper sulfate solution.
14. Repeat step 13 with the other concentrations of copper sulfate solution.

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(ii)

Prepare the space below and record your results.

For
Examiners
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[5]
(iii)

The students hypothesis stated that concentrations of copper sulfate solution

below 0.03% will continue to inhibit the enzyme.
Explain how your results provide evidence for the support or the rejection of this
hypothesis.
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(iv)

Identify one significant source of error in your investigation.

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(v)

A colorimeter could have been used to determine the end-point.

Describe three other modifications to this investigation which would improve the
confidence in your results.
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Table 1.1 shows the results of an investigation into the effect of the concentration of copper
sulfate solution on a protein suspension. A protein suspension was mixed with different
concentrations of copper sulfate solution.
After a set time, the percentage absorbance of light was measured using a colorimeter.
Table 1.1
copper sulfate
concentration
/ mol dm3
103

trial
1

trial
2

trial
3

trial
4

trial
5

mean

25.0

100

99

100

99

100

100

12.5

97

95

80

97

94

96

5.5

78

81

79

82

80

80

3.5

84

59

58

58

62

1.5

11

10

(b) (i)

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absorbance of light by protein suspension / %

Draw a circle around each of the anomalous results and complete the table.

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[2]

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(ii)

Plot a graph of the data shown in Table 1.1.

For
Examiners
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[4]

(iii)

Explain the effect of copper sulfate solution on the protein suspension.

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[Total: 22]

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2

J1 is a slide of a stained transverse section through a leaf.

For
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Fig. 2.1
(a) Draw a large plan diagram of the part of the leaf indicated by the shaded area in
Fig. 2.1.
Label the xylem and an air space.

[5]

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(b) Make a large drawing of six cells from the part of the leaf indicated by the shaded area
in Fig. 2.2.

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The cells should be two adjacent (touching) cells from the epidermis and two adjacent
cells from each of the next two layers.

Fig. 2.2
Label one epidermal cell.

[5]

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Fig. 2.3 is a photomicrograph of a transverse section through a leaf of a different plant
species.

Fig. 2.3
(c) The actual length of line Y is 785 m.
Use this measurement to calculate the magnification of Fig. 2.3.
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate
units.

magnification .................................................. [3]

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(d) Prepare the space below so that it is suitable for you to record the observable differences
between the specimens on J1 and in Fig. 2.3.
Record your observations in the space you have prepared.

[5]
[Total: 18]

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University of Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of
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